CN1258904C - Housings for portable communication devices - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a casing for a portable communication device. The casing has an operating face carrying user input elements and a display, and rails are provided along an intersection between adjacent housing elements to obscure the edges of the housing elements, on the exterior of the assembled housing.

Description

Housings for portable communication devices

technical field

The present invention relates to portable communication devices, and in particular to casings for such products.

Background technique

Products of technical equipment are purchased due to their functionality. When faster, cheaper to operate, smaller or higher specification alternatives came onto the market, they were quickly superseded and replaced, and the previous model was scrapped. The value of a product to its user lies in what it can achieve, perhaps in the degree to which owning the product is associated with the image. So fashion is forever changing, and so is the image promoted by owning individual products, especially in the fast-moving technological field. What was once a fashion apex can quickly become obsolete.

In a rapidly evolving field of technology, change is due, among other factors, to the desire to produce smaller, easier to manufacture, cheaper to operate, have greater functionality, use emerging technologies in design, or evolve with the latest tastes driven by product demand.

Generally, when a brand new technological product is put into the market, it is relatively prominent and expensive at the initial stage. Therefore only limited quantities are produced. In earlier years, the preference was to repair where possible due to the inherent rarity of the components and possibly high cost. Regardless of the economic need for repair, previous products quickly become obsolete and become obsolete once more desirable products are brought to market. Innovation is driven by technological progress and the challenge of cost reduction. Many products followed this pattern, including the first color television, the first VCR, and the first mobile phone.

In other products, such as personal computers, upgrades may be required, but these upgrades can only be made within carefully predetermined boundaries. For convenience, the shell is preserved, which retains the greatest amount of state-of-the-art hardware that drives these changes. When predetermined boundaries for product upgrades are exceeded, the housing itself will be replaced.

Contents of the invention

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a housing defining an interior space for housing a movement of a portable communication device, the housing having an operating surface for carrying user input elements and a display, and Comprising housing elements; a mechanism for positioning the housing elements relative to each other, forming a discontinuity on the exterior of the housing along the intersection between adjacent housing elements; and for shielding the edges of the housing elements from assembly of the housing exterior see the agency.

The present invention arises from a completely different approach to portable personal communication devices. The drive for previous innovations comes to mind when introducing new solutions for enduring high-tech products with an emotional value orientation. New problems arise that were never anticipated and need to be solved. As the housing becomes a more durable element in design and material, as well as the user interface itself, new problems arise, at least some of which the present invention seeks to address.

Devices such as mobile phones and computers are designed with the anticipation that, in as little as a few months, more desirable products with much greater capabilities will replace current models. It is therefore in mind that these devices are built to withstand use during these times.

It is recognized in the present invention that one of the considerations in such devices is how to make the housing durable in quality. These issues have not really been addressed in the past. Discontinuities between exposed housing elements are prone to degradation over extended periods of use. Masking these discontinuities will make the shell more durable.

The discontinuity may extend just around each edge of the shell, the means for shielding being seamless along the full length of at least one edge of the shell. The mechanism for shading is also visually substantially uniform in transverse dimension. This is in contrast to discontinuities that provide gaps that vary in width and negatively impact device surface finish.

The means for shading is a rail located between the intersecting elements covering the discontinuity. In this way a durable surface finish is achieved. In embodiments of the invention where the housing is expensive, customizable and updateable, the rails provide an additional element for customization, allowing many choices in materials and introducing more personality to a particular device.

In embodiments where the housing element includes a front surface, a rear surface, and a side element for moving the front and rear surfaces to create an interior space, a rail element may be positioned between the front surface and the side element and/or at the front The intersection between the surface and the side element. Wherein the housing comprises a component.

The housing may be a conventional one piece housing or pod, or other two piece construction in which user input elements or keys may be positioned on different surfaces relative to the display. In such two-piece constructions, the housing parts are generally fixed so that one can move relative to the other. This movement can be rotational or lateral.

In other constructions, rail elements are located at each intersection between housing elements. The construction of the guideway is not critical, provided the visible exposed portion extends across the discontinuity, protecting it from damage.

The rails can be T-shaped elements. The T-stem can be clamped between the housing element and the T-top, spanning or bridging the discontinuity, and serves as a carrier plate for the extruded element, which is visible from the outside. In many embodiments, the rails run along the perimeter of the housing to cover the entire extent of the discontinuity between facing housing elements.

For ease of construction, the T-shaped element may consist of a stamped metal piece or plastic material. Extrusion materials can be precious metals or other durable materials.

In an alternative embodiment, the mechanism for shielding is an arrangement of housing elements. Adjacent edges of the housing element each have a fold-back that hides the discontinuity from view. The foldbacks may have an arcuate cross-section and are turned inwardly to remain close to each other.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a kit of parts for a housing defining an interior space for housing a movement of a portable communication device, the housing having an operating surface for carrying user input elements and a display comprising a front plane, a rear surface and a side member; a mechanism for positioning housing elements relative to each other forming a discontinuity on the exterior of the housing along the intersection between adjacent housing elements; and for mechanism that shades the edges of enclosure elements from view from outside the assembled enclosure.

Description of drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to Figures 1 to 21 of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a communication device, showing an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows front, rear, side and top views of the communication device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an exemplary representation of a communication device suitable for use in embodiments of the present invention;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the surface of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention, without keys;

Figure 5 is a view of a layer of light guide;

Figures 6a and 6b are cross-sectional views through the communication device of Figure 1 in the display area;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the side frame elements and positioning rails used to construct the housing;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the back of the device with the battery cover removed;

Figures 9a and 9b are cross-sectional views through the communication device of Figure 1 in the battery area;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the back of the device with the battery cover in place;

Figures 11a and 11b are cross-sectional views showing other embodiments of the present invention;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a portion of an input area of the device, showing the location of icons associated with keys;

Figure 13 is a longitudinal sectional view through the communication device;

Figure 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view through a light guide showing a surface for carrying an icon;

15 and 16 are perspective views of a partially constructed input area of the device;

Figure 17 is a perspective view of the keys of the device, including their actuation mechanisms;

Figure 18 shows some of the keys shown in Figure 17 with the key ends removed;

Figures 19a and 19b are front and rear perspective views of the front cover housing, respectively;

Figures 20a and 20b are graphs showing force versus distance for keys as shown in Figures 17 and 18, respectively, and for conventional keys with domes;

Figure 21 is a bottom plan view of the device of Figure 1 (with the lower surface protector omitted).

Detailed ways

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a handheld communication device 1 with a fully grippable housing 2 . The housing 2 of the device is designed to be custom-made to personal preference using precious materials. In order to be able to produce a unique device, the number of external parts to manufacture the housing is large compared to existing communication devices.

The housing 2 has a light-transmissive front surface 3 which provides a seamless transition from the display area 4 to the input area 5 comprising an array of keys 6 . The key array 6 includes a first set of alphanumeric keys 7 for entering a telephone number, writing a text message (SMS), writing a name (associated with a telephone number) and the like. Each of the twelve alphanumeric keys 7 is provided with a number "0-9" or a symbol "#" or "*". In alphabetic mode, each key is associated with multiple letters and special symbols used in text editing. The key array 6 also includes two soft keys 8 , 9 , two call handling keys 10 , 11 , two scroll keys 12 and an on/off key 13 .

The function of the soft keys 8 , 9 can depend on the state of the communication device and the position in the menu implemented with the scroll key 12 . The current function of the softkeys 8 , 9 can be displayed in a separate area in the display area 4 immediately above the respective key 8 , 9 .

The two call handling keys 10, 11 are used to set up a call or conference call, to terminate a call or to reject an incoming call.

Two directional keys or scroll keys 12 located in the illustrated mobile phone are centrally arranged on the front surface of the communication device between the display area 4 and the set of alphanumeric keys 7 to implement the scrolling function.

The seamless surface 3 consists of an optically seamless light guide 14 providing light to illuminate the display area 4 and key icons 15 located on the light guide 14 and associated with the keys of the key array 6 .

The front surface 3 is covered by a pillow block 16 which provides apertures 17 for channeling sound from a speaker 18 and provides an appropriate feel for the device elements to be positioned close to the user's ear. The front face 3 is surrounded by a front cover 19 which may be made of precious metal. This protects the edges of the light guide 14 and, in some embodiments, helps secure the components of the housing 2 together.

The keys of the key array in this particular embodiment are arranged to provide a specific sensory orientation to the user. Aspects of the design also allow the light guide 14 to be fabricated from a wide range of materials, including fragile materials, thus requiring careful handling and protection from breakage.

The casing 2 is composed of a front surface 3 surrounded by a front cover 19 , a side frame 20 and a rear cover 21 . In this embodiment, the interfaces between the side frame 20 and the front cover 19 and between the side frame 20 and the rear cover 21 are shielded by guide rails 22 , 23 . The rails 22, 23 hide the raw edges from view and are not exposed to ensure that the device 1 is both durable and elegant. The structure of the case 2 allows the case 2 to be easily opened to renew the internal movement 24 when required. The housing 2 is also designed to allow the device to accommodate movements 24 of different sizes and shapes, which may be necessary during its lifetime.

Other elements of the design will now be described in more detail with reference to the figures that follow. As an introduction, the device will be briefly discussed with reference to its functional elements.

The communication device 1 includes a key array 5 , a display 25 , an antenna 26 , an earphone speaker 18 , a multi-tone speaker 27 and a pickup 28 . The communication device 1 is adapted to communicate over a wireless communication network, such as a wireless network. However, communication devices can also be designed for cordless networks. FIG. 3 schematically and functionally shows elements of the communication device 1 . The speech of the user is picked up by the microphone 28 and the analog signal thus formed is A/D converted by an A/D converter before being encoded in the audio unit 29 . The encoded speech signal is passed to processor 30 . Processor 30 may support software in the phone. Processor 30 also forms an interface with device peripherals. These may include a random access memory (RAM) 31 and a flash read only memory (ROM) 32, a SIM card 33, display 25 and key array 6, and possibly a browser application 34 and a location module 35.

Browser application software 34 may be used to request and receive information from the Internet. The location module 35 enables the terminal 1 to determine its current location.

Processor 30 communicates with a transceiver 36, such as a circuit, adapted to transmit and receive information in a telecommunications network. The telecommunications network may be a GSM network, but the invention may also be used in conjunction with other networks, including other types of wireless networks, and various forms of cordless telephone systems or dual-band telephony implementations of these systems or networks. The audio section 29 decodes speech from the signal transmitted from the processor 30 to the headset 18 via a D/A converter.

As mentioned above, the front surface 3 is light permeable and acts as a light guide. The seamless light guide that transmits light over the display area 4 and provides light to illuminate the key icons 15 reduces the number of lighting elements required for lighting the device and provides a seamless transition from one area to another on the front of the device. By sending light with this technique and allowing the light guide 14 to form the front surface of the device 1 as in the disclosed embodiment, the device is visually striking with no visible transition from the display area 4 to the input area 5 where the key array 6 is located.

The embodiment shown in Figure 1 has a light transmissive front surface 3 which may be made of sapphire or other precious stone. Once minerals such as sapphire are used in place of other softer light-transmitting materials such as plastic, other problems arise with respect to the properties of this material. There are many difficulties in designing a durable device where the front surface 3 is a fragile material. In one expression of the embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4-6, the light guide 14 is an optically seamless composite layer. As can be seen most clearly in FIG. 4 , a plastic layer 37 , which may be made of plexiglass or other transparent and/or translucent material, extends over the entire length of the front face 2 . There is a cutout 38 for receiving the earphone speaker 18 which is preferably used next to the ear. There is another cutout to accommodate the light pipe diffuser 39 . It is located below the bolster 16 and extends across the width of the device 1 . By placing the light pipe 39 below the pillow block 16, bright areas on the front surface where visible light in the light pipe will be scattered are avoided. LEDs 40, 41 are located on each side of the device at each end of the tube 39. Light from the LEDs 40, 41 is directed through the tube 39 and diffused. The light pipe 39 in this embodiment is coated with a reflective material to direct light through a surface 42 extending along the top of the LCD display 25 . Embodiments without a coating provide some of these advantages. The scattered light is thus directed into light guide 14 along its major axis to provide substantially uniform illumination of LCD 25 .

In this way, light is drawn into light guide 14 from above LCD 25 along the main axis. The light from the light pipe 39 illuminates the display area 4 and provides illumination to the input area 5 . As shown in FIG. 15 , additional LEDs 43 or other lighting elements are placed along the edge of the perspex layer or sheet 37 in the input area 5 to further illuminate the icons 15 for the keys of the array 6 . The surface of extension 78 of plexiglass layer or sheet 37 is shaped to direct light from adjacent top lit LEDs 67 or the like towards the upper surface of the main portion of layer or sheet 37 . This helps provide essentially even lighting to the input area. Other LEDs 43 etc. are shielded from view by the front cover 19 to avoid seeing the light spot and to facilitate even scattering of light across the light guide.

The LCD 25 itself is bonded to the back of the perspex layer 37 by an energy absorbing adhesive sheet 45. Using this technique, and ensuring that there is no air gap between the LCD 25 and the plexiglass sheet 37, provides a stable solution for mounting the LCD 25. The surface of the LCD 25, which is delicate and requires a protective layer at a distance therefrom, is protected by a layer of plexiglass 37 bonded to one of its surfaces. Driver 44 for LCD 25 can be seen in FIG. 5 .

In the illustrated embodiment, the plexiglass layer 37 includes apertures 48 for positioning the keys and allowing the key shafts 49 to travel into contact with a printed circuit board 50 located in the housing 2 to register user input. A more detailed description of a separate inventive key layout suitable for use in conjunction with the general principles discussed follows.

As can be seen most clearly in Figure 4, the second layer of composite lightguide 51 is made up of a plurality of sections 52-58. This is to be able to choose a friable material for the second layer 51 . Sapphire has properties including scratch resistance and good light transmission that make it suitable for use here. The light guide provides a suitable outer surface. But other materials, such as glass or ceramic materials or other minerals and precious and semi-precious stones, can also be used in combination with or in place of sapphire. Even if an opaque ceramic layer is provided on the light guide, the optical benefits of a light guide extending over the display and input area providing diffused light utilized over the entire surface can be obtained. When the material is not brittle, it is not necessary to provide the second layer as conceptually disclosed in the illustrated embodiment. Alternative arrangements for accommodating frangible materials with each other will however be apparent to those skilled in the art.

As mentioned above, like ceramic materials, sapphire is brittle. When considering how to use this material in the housing 2 which needs to be durable and durable, a problem arises. This is especially the case when the device 1 will inevitably be subject to impacts and is likely to be dropped several times during its long existence. All fragile parts are bonded to a carrier, for example made of plastic or titanium, for better shock absorption. In the depicted embodiment, sapphire is formed in each portion 52-58 for ease of manufacture. Each element is bonded to the perspex layer 37 with a UV curing adhesive based on hybrid acrylic technology. To increase the durability and damage resistance of composite lightguide 14, portions 52-58 are bonded to a more flexible perspex layer 37, leaving a gap 59 extending across its entire width. These gaps 59 act as hinges, allowing the composite ply 14 to be relatively flexible along its major axis. In the illustrated embodiment, this has been taken into consideration when designing the layout of the key array 6 . The alphanumeric keys 7 are arranged in three extended groups across the entire width of the second layer composite 51 . The function keys or softkeys 8 , 9 are likewise arranged in two groups of three. The soft keys 8 , 9 and the top scroll key 12 a follow the direction of the line of the alphanumeric keys 7 . The call handling buttons 10 , 11 and the bottom scroll button 12 b spaced apart from the other row define the lower edge of one element 57 and the upper edge of the other element 56 . This makes the second row of keys 10, 11, 12b unique while still avoiding problems during the manufacture of the elements 52-58. The particular key array 6 shown has other features and advantages discussed below.

Although the described embodiments are designed with brittle materials such as sapphire in mind, the resulting arrangement may be made from any number of other materials such as plastics that provide the desired optical properties. Similarly, different key arrangements may be used without departing from the disclosed inventive concepts.

In the case of using a brittle material as the front surface light guide 14, problems are also encountered when connecting the front surface 3 to the rest of the housing element. In the embodiment shown, the edges of the frangible elements 52-58 are protected by a front cover 19 positioned around the entire surface. In this embodiment, the front cover 19 is constituted by a front cover support 60 covered by a front cover cover 61, a metal sheet 0.5 mm thick. The metal sheet 61 is bonded to the front cover support 60, which may be made of plastic, with an adhesive such as a two-part epoxy adhesive or a two-part acrylic adhesive. Since the metal sheet 61 is relatively thin, the weight of the casing 2 can be kept down, and relatively expensive metals such as titanium or gold can be used at a relatively low cost. However, the front cover 19 could be a single piece, and/or be made of a single material such as titanium.

The transparent surface 3 in this particular embodiment is held securely in place by a strengthening mechanism. The perspex layer 37 to which the elements 52 - 58 are bonded extends beyond the area covered by these elements to provide a lip or rim 62 surrounding the entirety of the composite lightguide 14 . This lip 62 is used to secure the front face 3 in place as it is retracted under the front cover 19 defining the perimeter of the front face and squeezed between the front cover 19 and the side frames 20 .

As can be seen from Figure 1, the front cover 19 is reinforced by a front face protector 63, the function of which will be described in more detail below. These front face protectors 63 function in this particular embodiment to hold the housing elements together.

The front face protector 63 has an end portion 64 extending through the front cover 19 and a shaft 65 passing through the front cover 19 into the plastic side frame 20 . The shaft 65 can be screwed to the frame 20 with a nut 95 . In this case, the nut prevents the front face protector from falling out of the device. In one embodiment, the shaft 65 is threaded into the end 64 at one end and into the side frame member 20 at the other end, although other connections may be used. The shaft 65 and tip 64 could also be one piece instead of two. As can be seen in FIG. 9 b , the front cover 19 and the perspex layer 37 of the transparent surface 2 are clamped by the front surface protector 63 and the side frame elements 20 . The front surface protector 63 thus securely sandwiches the transparent surface 3 between the side frame 20 and the front cover 19 . The front surface protector 63 is only positioned next to the key array 6 . To fasten the transparent surface 3 around its periphery, additional bolts 66 are added for pulling the front cover 19 towards the side frames 20 and pressing the transparent surface 3 into place. In one embodiment, bolts 66 are threaded through the side frames 20 and into the front cover support 60 . After the front cover support 60 is fastened to the side frame 20, the shell 61 of the front cover 19 may be bonded to the support 60 to shield the screwed-in bolt ends 66. Alternatively, the front cover 19 is first adhered to the support (a subassembly), which is then screwed onto the frame.

As can be seen from the figures, although the more flexible transparent substrate 37 is covered by the front cover 19 secured in place by the front surface protector 63 and other connections, the sapphire is kept at a distance from the front cover 19, preventing it from being chipped or otherwise damaged by contact. The edges of the sapphire element do not protrude above the front cover 19, further protecting the more fragile edges. In said arrangement, the transparent surface 3 is clamped in place between the front cover 19 and the side frame 20 . But the more flexible substrate 37 can receive bolts or other fasteners to position it relative to the other frame elements without damaging the more fragile sapphire layer.

To reduce the intrusion of dirt or fluids, a sealant 69 is placed between the front cover 19 and the transparent surface 3 . One of the ways it can be introduced is by spraying the sealant on the underside of the front cover 19, when dry the sealant is compressed between the front cover 19 and the side frames 20 when the front cover 19 and side frames 20 are pulled together between.

As can be seen from FIGS. 6 or 9 , a first rail 22 is located in the interface between the side frame elements 20 and the front surface 3 . The rails 22 mask discontinuities between components from view and protect fragile edges to enhance the durability of the device 1 . The rails 22 may be stamped metal pieces of 'T' cross section extending around the perimeter of the side frame 20. When the side frame elements 20 and front cover 19 are drawn together in assembly, the 'T' stem 68 is clamped between the two elements. The T-stem has a small hole 70 on a corresponding protrusion 71 on the side frame 20 to prevent being pulled out between the two parts when in position. The T-top acts as a carrier plate to which an additional extrusion 72 is brazed or otherwise bonded to provide a seamless end product. The backbone may also be made of plastic material, in which case an adhesive may be used to attach the extrusion to the backbone. In other embodiments, the rails may be made of a single material. It can be a whole or a multi-component component. The shape of the rail is not important, provided that the visible portion spans the discontinuity, blocking a gap that is inevitably uneven in width due to manufacturing tolerances.

The side frame member 20 in this particular embodiment is a plastic support 73 with an outer cover 74 . Cover 74 could also be a sheet metal, or perhaps wood veneer or another layer of leather. The most suitable adhesive for bonding the layers to the plastic frame element 73 will vary depending on the materials to be bonded. For metal bonding to plastic, suitable adhesives are 2-part epoxy or 2-part acrylic adhesives. For metal-to-metal bonding, the adhesive can be a reactive polyurethane film or a two-part epoxy. Similarly, the back cover 21 in this embodiment may have a plastic frame and be covered with, for example, a leather, wood or metal finish. For flexible upholstery materials such as leather, it is best to tension the material over the frame. This is accomplished by conventional techniques during lamination.

The transparent surface 3 provides a seamless transition between the display 4 and the input area 5 . In the display area 4 the LCD 25 is located behind the transparent surface 3 in the input area 5 and the key mechanism 75 is located behind it. In said one embodiment, the key mechanism 75 can be seen through the front face 3 . In other embodiments, however, the inner surface 76 of the plexiglass substrate 37 may be coated with an opaque material to prevent the interior of the device from being seen. Alternatives to otherwise prevent the internal structure of the device from being seen will be apparent to those skilled in the art, such as introducing an additional opaque layer or otherwise blocking the view.

For embodiments where the key operating mechanism 75 is visible through the front surface 3, for example, it may be desirable to prevent the PCB 50 from being seen.

The housing 2 is constructed to provide an enclosure for the printed circuit board 50 and the battery 79 holding the movement part 24 . A SIM card holder 80 is provided to accommodate a SIM card 81 when the device 1 is a wireless telephone. For operations under certain wireless protocols, it will be obvious that this will not be necessary.

Returning momentarily to the front of the device, located above the display area 4 is a pillow 16, so named because it is designed for the user to rest his or her ear on when making a phone call. The pillow 16 covers the earpiece 18 of the device. As previously mentioned, there is a cutout in the plexiglass substrate 37 of the light guide 14 for receiving the earpiece 18 and the pillow block 16 in the embodiment shown is bonded to the plexiglass substrate 37 covering the earpiece 18 . The pillow 16 provides suitable small holes 17 for directing the sound to the user.

The plexiglass and sapphire photoconductor 14 is relatively cool to the touch and the material of the pillow 16 can be chosen to be relatively warm to the touch and less prone to marking than a clear shiny surface. Materials considered particularly suitable are ceramic or wood and leather finishes. The shape of the pillow 16 conceals a portion of the LCD 25, providing opposing triangular sections 82, 83 for displaying battery capacity and signal strength, respectively.

To complete the structure, the housing 2 has a rear cover 21 and internal chambers 84, 85 adapted to hold the core and battery 79 and, in this embodiment, the SIM card 81 . As with many other radiotelephones, the device shown advantageously allows access to the battery chamber 85, since the battery 79 needs to be replaced periodically. In order to protect the movement 24 during this activity, a battery 79 is kept in a chamber providing connection to the movement 24 . Alongside the battery compartment 85 in this embodiment is a SIM card holder 80 . Under the agreement that the SIM card 81 is used to store subscription information, the user may desire to remove the SIM card 81 . For this reason, it is convenient to remove the rear cover 21 to expose the battery 79 and the SIM card 81 . The battery compartment 85 and SIM card holder 80 are provided by an inner housing element 87 fastened to the side frame 20 . It may be made of plastic or one or more other suitable materials, in one embodiment the chamber is made of stamped sheet metal of stainless steel.

Battery contacts 90 protrude into the battery chamber 85 to provide an easy way to connect the battery 79 to the movement 24 . The battery connection generally has a power connector 91 , a ground conductor 92 and two signal connectors 93 , 94 .

In the illustrated embodiment, the power supply 91a, b, c and ground conductor 92a, b, c connectors are divided into three. This reduces the resistance between the battery 79 and the movement 24 because the wires are in parallel, and it also reduces the chance of power being lost into the movement 24 due to reaching a harmonic resonant frequency, because at all times, At least some of every three component connectors are likely to complete an electrical circuit between the movement 24 and the battery 79 .

The housing 2 is completed by assembling the rear cover 21 to the side frame 20 . In the illustrated embodiment, the back cover 21 is made up of three elements 96 , 97 , 98 . The first element 96 covers the antenna location. In this embodiment, it provides a small hole 99 in which the multi-tone speaker 27 is located to provide a multi-tone sound. This additional loudspeaker 27 is not as optimized for use close to the ear as the loudspeaker 18 located under the pillow block 16 . This allows it to be used more effectively as a hands-free speaker and to use a wider range of surround sound quality. Since the first element 96 also covers the antenna, its dielectric constant is proportional.

In such a device in which case 2 can survive several generations of movement 24 , the material from which it is made is important. They should be wear-resistant and long-lasting, maintaining their properties for longer years than currently required. For this reason, for some embodiments of the present invention, ceramics are considered as the back cover 21 . But in the case of ceramics, despite having many desirable characteristics, the dielectric constant of the material interferes with the desired conduction mode for locations close to the antennas associated with the devices housing such components.

In order to provide many of their desirable features without making the dielectric constant too high, the back cover member 96 may be formed of a material with a lower dielectric constant, upon which a coating is deposited to an appropriate depth.

The rear housing element 96 covering the antenna is likewise screwed onto the side frame element 20, clamping a second rail 23 similar in construction to the first rail 22 between the side frame 20 and the rear cover 21 in the process. Likewise, the guide rail 23 is provided with a small hole 70 on a corresponding protrusion 71 on the side frame 20 to more firmly hold the guide rail 23 in place when the back cover 21 is attached.

A second rear housing element 97 covers the battery chamber 85 and the SIM card holder 80 . This element is releasably fastened to the other housing elements with bolts 99, allowing relatively easy access to the SIM card 81 and the battery 79. In a preferred embodiment, a quarter turn of the bolt 100 loosens the cover member 97 so that it can be removed. The same action disconnects the battery 79 so that the SIM card 81 can be removed.

The second rear housing element 97 is connected to the side frame 20 in a manner similar to that described for the first rear housing element.

A third element of the rear housing 98 covers the hands-free speaker 27 . It may just be relatively thin and made of a precious metal such as gold. A suitable aperture 102 will be provided for directing sound from the multi-phonic speaker 27 which can be used in hands-free mode and provide an audible surround sound quality.

In the illustrated embodiment, the front surface 3 and the rear housing elements 96 , 97 , 98 are fastened to the side frames 20 . Silicone sealant 69 or the like may be extruded around the inside of rear cover 21 to prevent unwanted ingress of dirt or fluid.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the number of components and the manner in which they are connected can be varied without departing from the several inventive concepts described. For example, in other embodiments, the housings may be held together by other techniques or in other ways.

In addition to masking the exposed edges, the rails 22, 23 provide another element for customization, as they can be made from a variety of different materials, in particular different types of precious metals such as gold or platinum as previously discussed for the front cover. This can be done, if desired, by changing the base material to a lightweight material such as plastic, and providing an extruded strip of a more attractive material bridging the discontinuities and exposed to view. The rails can also be solid metal or other material, or hollow or stamped from one material to reduce cost and weight.

Rails protect the fragile edges of the facing frame from exposure to potentially damaging forces. In the process, unsightly edges are masked out of view. This provides quality and durability consistent with the overall concept of a retainable case for a communication device.

In an alternative embodiment shown in Figure 11b, instead of providing guide rails 22, 23 to protect the exposed edges, the adjacent edges 105, 106 are turned inwardly on themselves and held in close abutment. This arrangement also offers the advantage of protecting exposed edges and making unsightly discontinuities invisible.

Housings with light-permeable front surfaces offer new opportunities. In a particular embodiment, as described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 14 , the icons 15 associated with the keys of the key array 6 are located on the front and rear surfaces 37 a , 37 b of the plexiglass layer 37 . As communication devices become more complex, it is not uncommon for each key to have several different functions. It would be useful to be able to visibly label the different possible functions associated with a key. In particular for the alphanumeric keys 7, each key is associated with a single number and a group of letters or symbols. Ideally, these should be clearly displayed. Historically the associated icon has been saved on the key. But as devices get smaller, this becomes more difficult, and distinguishing between the different icons used for the various modes of operation presents a particular challenge because the letters and numbers are so small. In the embodiment shown, icons 15 for the associated keys are located on each surface of the light guide 14, and when the device is rocked, the icons 15 move together or apart depending on the angle at which they are viewed. This provides a visual distinction between icons 15 located on different surfaces, which can be used to distinguish between different modes of operation. Because the front surface is light-transmissive, the icon will float in or on the device. By spacing the icons along an axis perpendicular to the third dimension, the thickness direction of the front surface, some protrusion is given to the front surface, thereby adding an additional dimension to the normally opaque front surface.

In the illustrated embodiment, the icons 15 are located on the outermost or innermost surfaces of the perspex layers 37a, 37b. Icon 15 will float in the light permeable layer. The manner in which the icon 15 is positioned on the layer is a matter of choice for the person skilled in the art. One such method is to print the icon onto the surface using an etched plate filled with ink. Another way is to deposit the 'print' directly on the plexiglass layer using PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) technology. Other techniques for securing icons can also be used, including sticking labels.

In the embodiment in question, the icons 15a, 15b are located on opposing surfaces of the perspex layers 37a, 37b. This enables printing of a single element, the Perspex layer 37, rather than sapphire or other elements 52-58. By protecting the surface receiving the print with a second layer, the problem of ink drain encountered when using printing techniques is also avoided. In other embodiments, it may be desirable to place the icons on the outermost and innermost surfaces 37a, 51a of the composite in order to increase the depth of the icon spacing and enhance possible separation when viewed at different angles. In order to secure the logo 15 printed on the outer surface 51a which is subject to wear, a coating or other protective layer may be provided on the surface. This is not required if PVD techniques are used to form the icon 15, since this technique creates a bond between the deposited layer and the substrate which is more difficult to abrade. In another embodiment, the icon 15 may be provided on the bottom side 51b of the sapphire element and on the innermost layer of the plexiglass substrate 37a. Also, by avoiding the problem of the outer surface of the transparent layer, the problem of abrasion of the icon 15 is largely avoided. The outermost icons are protected from access to the innermost icons 15 by the top layer 51 of the composite lightguide 14 .

In sandwiching the icon between the two light permeable layers 37, 51 it is very immaterial which of the two sandwiching layers carries the icon. If the properties of the various materials do differ, these properties, as well as other factors, may be taken into account when deciding which layer 37b, 51b actually carries the icon. For composite light-transmissible substrates, the more layers provided, the more visually distinguishable icons that can be accommodated. For example, with two composite layers, there are three planes available for icons, with three layers, four planes, and so on. If all icons are placed adjacent to a single key, visual differentiation can lead to difficulties in distinguishing functions with a large number of layers. Other embodiments may use different planes at different locations on the device, so that one set of keys has an icon in a first plane, a second set of keys in a second plane, and so on.

To enhance the illusion of floating icons, or to improve the distinction between two layers, the thickness of the light-transmissive layer between the layers carrying the icons can be increased. In the same way, these features can be reduced by reducing the thickness between the planes carrying the icons.

Inks or paints can be selected by those skilled in the art to provide a variety of effects. Inks, for example, may need to be pearlescent or fluorescent, or one or more of black, white or a wider range of colours. Fluorescent or pearlescent materials enhance the visibility of the icons as they are located on the light guide.

In addition to the technique of adding ink or other visible material to the surface, simply etching these layers may be sufficient to make the icon visible if the lighting is sufficient.

Embodiments of the light guide in the display and input area have been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the context of other independent inventive features claimed in the pending application. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various substitutions may be made in the specific features disclosed without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular the material of the light guide is not limited to that described, the light guide in question may be hidden under an opaque layer.

The input area of the device will now be described in more detail with reference primarily to FIGS. 9 and 15 to 21 .

As mentioned above, the input area 5 includes an array 6 of keys. In this embodiment, the key array consists of a plurality of individual keys 7-13. Each of these individual keys includes a key end 64 and a shaft 49 protruding substantially from the center of the key end 64, and an upper bearing 103, an O-ring 107, a small ring, respectively positioned along the axis 49a from the key end 64. 108, spring plate 110 and lower bearing 109. The spring plate 110 is supported by a spring plate support 114 provided on the PCB 118 . The spring plate consists of a body and a tongue 111 made of a single piece of sheet metal. The tongue is made by stamping the inside of the sheet metal so that the sides and one end of the tongue are free of the rest of the body of the sheet metal. The spring plate also has one or more punched out portions to provide a hole for the spring plate support 114 of the key shaft 49 . One end 113 of the spring plate includes contacts that make contact with various contact areas on the PCB. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a single contact could be used for this purpose, but having two contacts provides greater reliability. Spring plate support 114 includes three elements upstanding from PCB 118 . These elements may form part of an overall structure, or may be separate elements. The first member includes a recess 115 sized to receive an end 112 of the spring plate 110 and hold the end 112 in place. The second member of the support 114 includes a lip 116 extending toward the first member. The lip 116 is provided for limiting the upward movement of the other end 113 of the spring plate 110 . The third element of the support 114 includes a groove 117 for receiving the end of the tongue. This third element is positioned relative to the second element so that the tongue of the spring plate 110 has to be bent so that the end of the tongue corresponds to its groove 117 . Optionally, the spring plate support may include a fourth member including a lip extending towards the second member. In this case, the PCB contact areas extend to the surface of this lip, bringing them closer to the spring plate contacts. Alternatively, the contact area carrying the lip may form part of the second element itself, or be eliminated altogether.

As mentioned above, in this embodiment the keys are divided into three groups, the ends of which extend across the entire length of the second layer of composite body 51 . This facilitates the manufacture of the breakable elements 52 to 58 . The ends of the alphanumeric keys 7, soft keys 8, 9 and top scroll key 12a are aligned with the ends of the other keys in their group. But in the rest of the group of buttons, the bottom scroll button 12b ends in a straight line from the ends of the other two buttons in its group, the call handling buttons 10,11. In any case, in each group, the edges of adjacent key ends are complementary to each other and closely spaced. This eliminates the need for composite 51 or other filler material to extend between the key ends. It also has the advantage of simplifying the overall appearance of the input area of the device to the user. Other properties and advantages of a particular key array 6 are discussed below.

As can be seen particularly from FIGS. 17 and 18 , the spring plates 110 and supports 114 of adjacent alphanumeric keys 7 are positioned perpendicularly to each other. This provides a geometrically simple solution to the problem of the spring plate not being aligned with the key itself. One cause of this problem in the illustrated embodiment is that the spring plate of each outer key is longer than its average length corresponding to the end of the key, and this excess length cannot be accommodated elsewhere. This is mainly because the spring plate of each center key is only minimally smaller than the average length of the corresponding key ends, and the keys are closely abutted (with only a gap of about 0.245mm between keys), so there is not enough space to accommodate this excess length. Additionally, while the key shaft 49 of each key is substantially centered on the key end 64, the key shaft hole of the spring plate 110 is off-center. This exacerbates the problem for the outer keys and even results in the spring plate of each center key not being accommodated in the space below the end of its corresponding key.

The keys may be constructed as described below and the input area of the device assembled as described below. The upper bearing is inserted into the hole 48 in the plexiglass layer of the device. Ruby bearings are preferably chosen for this purpose for three reasons. First of all, Ruby is very hard to wear and thus can handle multiple keystrokes for a considerable amount of time. Second, the upper bearings of the device are larger in diameter than the corresponding widths of the key tips, which means that they will be visible if the front surface of the device is transparent (eg, the second layer 51 could be sapphire). Thus, the advantage can be taken that rubies are attractive jewelry that users will be delighted to see. Third, the use of a hard material such as ruby will allow greater precision in the assembly of the key into the device as opposed to the use of a resilient material such as PFTE.

The lower bearing 109 is provided in a titanium plate secured to the rear of the PCB 118 . The inner and outer diameters of the lower bearing 109 are smaller than the upper bearing 103, but their centers are aligned. They are also preferably made of a different material - a lower bearing material with shock absorbing properties, such as PFTE.

The key shaft 49 is machined to have a first portion 49 a having an appropriate thickness to pass through the inner diameter of the upper bearing 103 and a second reduced diameter portion 49 to pass through the inner diameter of the lower bearing 109 . Shaft 49 and ringlet 108 may be machined from a single piece of metal, or ringlet 108 may be attached to shaft 49 subsequently. They are preferably made of stainless steel. Additionally, an O-ring 107 is provided on the larger diameter portion 49a of the shaft 49 adjacent the ringlet 108 to provide a watertight seal. Both the small ring 108 and the O-ring have an outer diameter smaller than that of the upper bearing so they cannot be seen by the user when in place. But the outer diameter of the small ring is sufficiently larger than the inner diameter of the upper bearing to prevent the keys from falling out of the device.

The end of the button is made of required material, which can be metal such as gold or platinum, silver or stainless steel, and made into a desired shape. They can also feature precious stones. For example, one or more of the key ends may be diamond-encased, or have a precious gemstone therein. Once the key shaft passes through the upper bearing, the key tip engages thereon. This can be accomplished using conventional steaming techniques.

Spring plate support 114 is disposed on PCB 118 . Each spring plate support 114 is preferably of unitary construction, made of a lightweight metal such as aluminum. The support can then be soldered to the PCB using conventional techniques. The spring plate supports 114 are positioned to hold the spring plates 110 with the centers of their shaft holes aligned with the centers of the lower bearings 109 . The contact areas for the spring plate contacts are provided on the PCB (or on the lip of the second or fourth element of the support as described above).

The spring plate 110 itself is made by stamping sheet metal, such as beryllium copper with a gold finish or the like. The plate 110 is secured to the support 114 by the following steps: one end 113 of the spring plate is positioned below the lip 116 of the second element of the support 114, the other end 114 of the spring plate is fitted to the lip 116 of the first element of the support 114. In the groove 115, the tongue is bent so that its end corresponds to the groove 117 of the third element of the support 114 and the end of the tongue is positioned in this groove. When in position, the free end 113 of the spring plate 110 is naturally biased upwardly towards the restraining lip 116 .

The size of the key components and their relative positions are important in the smooth operation of the key. The distance between the upper and lower bearings is maximized by placing them on either side of the spring plate clamping mechanism and passing the shaft through the spring plate. In such a position, the bearing keeps the key straight as it is actuated, thereby avoiding contact with the ends of adjacent keys, or requiring the keys to be placed further apart to prevent contact. This in turn leads to a good switching function and feel.

Additionally, the keys are sized such that the lower surface of each key end 64 is in contact with the surface of the plexiglass layer 37 before excess pressure is applied to the spring plate 110 . In this embodiment, the small ring 108 is positioned along the axis so that it rests slightly on the spring plate when the key is in its normal, undepressed state. In addition, when in the normal state, the thicker part of the shaft has a suitable length, there is a gap between the lower surface of the key end and the surface of the plexiglass layer 37, and the gap is small in order for the spring plate contacts to contact the contact area. The distance the ring 108 must travel is the same or slightly greater.

This overcomes the problem of pressure being applied to the spring plate if the switch itself provided the end stop of movement.

The size of the buttons is equally important to the appearance of the device. Preferably, the key tip has a thickness at least equal to the distance it protrudes from the surface of the second layer 51 of the composite body when the key is in the above-mentioned normal state. When the composite is substantially transparent, this will give the impression of a floating key and add to the three-dimensional effect described earlier in relation to the key icon 15 . Additionally, the key ends should be deep enough to partially sink into the second layer of the composite, and preferably have at least two opposing substantially flat sides corresponding to the sides of the second layer, to prevent lateral movement of the keys. rotate. In this device a gap of the order of 0.1 mm is achieved between the key and the second layer of the composite: a gap which is very small for the human eye and suitable for preventing lateral rotation of the key. Lateral rotation is further prevented in this embodiment by providing a mirrored tilt of the sides of adjacent keys.

To ensure the correct relative spacing of the key elements, the layer of plexiglass 37, the PCB 118 and the titanium plate 77 are clamped together. In this embodiment, clamping is achieved by means of the front surface protector 63 and by providing additional conical bosses on the protrusions 68 of the plexiglass plate and the associated fixing means. So, once the key is in place, bosses and fixtures are used to clamp the plexiglass layer, PCB, and titanium plate together to hold the key in place and form a controllable module. This module can then be easily installed in the device with the front surface protector as described above with reference to Figure 9B.

The operation of the device keys is now described. As the user applies pressure to the end of the key, the shaft moves down, running through the bearing and shaft hole in the spring plate. This causes the small ring to apply pressure to a portion of the body of the spring plate that defines the shaft bore. Continued application of pressure to the end of the key causes the ring to exert increased pressure on that portion of the spring plate, causing the body to deform around the ring. Ultimately, this deformation will cause the tongue to be off-centre, causing the free end 113 of the spring plate 110 to be tapped from its naturally biased position (upward toward the restraining lip 116) to a second position in which the spring plate contacts are in contact with the contacts on the PCB. The contact area makes contact. An electrical signal indicative of key actuation is then sent to the processor. This arrangement gives a distinct click, clearly showing the user that the key has been actuated. When the user removes pressure from the end of the key, the ring removes pressure from the spring plate 110 . The tongue immediately returns to its normal position and the free end of the spring plate is tapped upward to its naturally biased position, breaking the contact.

FIG. 20a is a graph showing the force versus distance curves for the keys shown in FIGS. 17 and 18. FIG. This curve improves the tactile feel of the key in eg a normal key dome structure, which has a rather flat curve as can be seen in Figure 20b. When using conventional key domes, the user must apply a constant force up to the point of key actuation. As a result, he does not get a tactile sensation that he is approaching the location when the actuation is about to occur. On the contrary, when using the device shown in Figures 17 and 18, since the force applied for a given stroke of the key must be increased, the user is able to recognize the fact that he is approaching the position when the actuation will take place. Additionally, the user is notified by the click sound provided by the keys when actuation occurs, and when actuation ceases.

The central V-shaped key tip of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 enables the user to determine the central vertical axis of the device both visually and by touch. Setting a vertex on the pillow 16 makes this easier. Therefore, the user can quickly locate the desired center key. The apex of each central key also identifies the midpoint along the length of the key end from which the key shaft 48 extends. Therefore, they help to press the keys more precisely. This in turn helps prevent contact with the ends of adjacent keys, or the need to separate the keys further apart to prevent such contact.

Similarly, in this embodiment, the combination of adjacent outer key ends with the front face protector forming a V shape enables the user to determine the position of the vertical axis relative to the side on which the outer key is located. Therefore, the user can quickly locate the desired external key. In this embodiment, since the external key extends to the interface between the second layer of the composite body 51 and the front cover 19, it facilitates key position processing.

The front surface of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is protected by pillow blocks and a front surface protector 63 . The front surface 3 is slightly convex, with the highest point positioned along its central longitudinal axis. So in general, if placed face down, the device will sit on this axis causing its surface to scratch. Obviously, this is not acceptable, especially when the second composite is sapphire or similar. The device shown in Figure 1 is designed to prevent this problem. Pillows 16 and surface protectors 63a prevent equipment from being placed on the second layer of composite. Additionally, as noted above, in preferred embodiments, the key tips protrude slightly from the surface. Thus, the center key end also protects the second layer of composite from damage. Preferably, however, the pillow block 16 and lower front surface protector 63a are raised high enough above the front surface that the device does not rest on the center key end, thereby also protecting them from damage.

The device is also designed to protect the front surface if the edge of the surface is knocked. As can be seen from the front view of the device shown in Figure 21, the front cover front surface protector 63b protrudes beyond the surface of the second layer composite along the interface with the front cover, thereby protecting the second layer in this area The complex is protected from damage. They also reduce the possibility of the front cover being damaged by knocking. In addition, they also protrude farther than adjacent key ends, thereby also protecting these key ends from damage.

Another benefit of the front face protectors 63, particularly the front cover, is that they are sized to prevent accidental actuation of the keys if the device is placed face down. That is, the top surface of the front surface protector end should be at the same height or higher than the top surface of the key end (as in the relationship between protector 63b and the adjacent outer key end), or if they are at a higher level than the key end The lower the height of the top surface, the distance between the top surface of the protector and the end of the key must be less than the distance the key travels to actuate the key in order for the spring plate contact to contact the LCB contact area.

Aspects of the invention have been discussed with reference to radiotelephone functionality. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that these aspects are equally applicable to other handheld communication devices that additionally or alternatively support other functions, such as electronic diary and electronic notes.

The present invention includes any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein either implicitly or generically, whether or not it relates to the claimed invention, or alleviates any or all of the problems described.

In view of the foregoing description it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims (23)

1. A housing defining an interior space for housing a movement of a portable communication device, the housing having an operating surface for carrying user input elements and a display, and comprising: each housing element; means for positioning housing elements relative to each other, forming a discontinuity on the exterior of the housing along the intersection between adjacent housing elements; a T-rail located between the intersecting elements, the T-rail overlying said discontinuity for shielding the edges of the housing elements from view from outside the assembled housing; and A mechanism for engaging said T-rail to hold it in place. 2. The housing of claim 1, wherein the discontinuity extends around each edge of the housing, and the T-rail is seamless along the full length of at least one housing edge. 3. A housing as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the visual characteristic of the T-rail visible from outside the housing is a substantially uniform transverse dimension. 4. The housing of claim 1, wherein the guide rail is made of a precious metal. 5. The housing of claim 1, wherein the trunk of the T-rail is clamped between the side frame members and the front surface. 6. The housing as claimed in claim 5, wherein the trunk of the T-shaped rail has a number of small holes on corresponding protrusions on the side frames. 7. A housing as claimed in claim 5, wherein the top of the T-rail serves as a bearing plate for the extruded element visible from the outside. 8. The housing of claim 7, wherein the extruded material is brazed to the base. 9. The casing of claim 7, wherein the extruded material is bonded to the substrate. 10. The housing of claim 7, wherein the extruded material is a precious metal. 11. The housing of claim 5, wherein the T-rail comprises a stamped metal piece. 12. The housing of claim 5, wherein the T-rail comprises an element made of plastic material. 13. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the housing member includes a front surface, a rear surface and a side member for separating the front and rear surfaces to create the interior space. 14. The housing of claim 13, wherein one rail member is located at the intersection between the front surface and the side member. 15. The housing of claim 13, wherein one rail member is located at the intersection between the rear surface and the side members. 16. The housing of claim 13, wherein one rail element is located at each intersection between housing elements. 17. The housing of claim 1, wherein for said T-rail is a layout of housing elements. 18. The housing as claimed in claim 17, wherein adjacent edges of the housing element each have a foldback which hides the discontinuity from view. 19. The housing of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a one-piece housing. 20. The housing of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises two relatively movable parts. 21. A portable communication device comprising a housing according to claim 1. 22. A portable communication device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the device is a radiotelephone. 23. A set of parts for a housing defining an interior space for housing a movement of a portable communication device, the housing having an operating surface for carrying user input elements and a display, comprising: a front plane, a rear surface and a side element; means for positioning housing elements relative to each other, forming a discontinuity on the exterior of the housing along the intersection between adjacent housing elements; and a T-rail located between the intersecting elements, the T-rail overlying the discontinuity for concealing the discontinuity from view from outside the assembled enclosure; and A mechanism for engaging said T-rail to hold it in place.

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